Chapter 461 The War Begins

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The war has already begun, and the knights of the Sapphire Duchy have joined the battle, mainly playing a harassing role to contain more knights of the Kingdom of the Eagle. Save this site┏Ⅹ④③⑨⑨┛

So after resting for a day in Cockscomb City, the fleet set sail to attack the designated Sardine Bay area.

Marquis Pheasant Feather also sent a large number of his followers to follow the fleet of the Sapphire Duchy and attack the Sardine Bay area. The fleet of the Tulip family carried Marquis Pheasant Feather's follower, Earl Bluestone, and his knight corps, nearly a thousand knights.

"Herbert, this is my second son, Liszt, the Viscount of Black Horse Island, an elite Earth Knight," Lee William introduced to Earl Bluestone who had just boarded the ship.

"A handsome young man, looks very young. Liszt, how old are you?" asked Earl Bluestone Herbert.

"Seventeen, Earl Bluestone."

The noble titles of the continental kingdom are not named after geographical locations but are related to the fief. For example, Marquis Pheasant Feather's title is "Pheasant Feather," meaning the feather of a pheasant, derived from his fief, Pheasant Hill, and the central city of the fief is also called Cockscomb City.

Earl Bluestone is the same, his fief is the Bluestone Valley, where a kind of blue stone is found everywhere.

As for his full name, it is Herbert Iron Drop Orchid.

Iron Drop Orchid is a type of flower.

The surname naming in the continental kingdom is not much different from that in the Sapphire Duchy. The serf class among the commoners basically has no surnames, the wealthy among the freemen will have humble surnames, and some minor nobles continue with humble surnames or change to ordinary surnames.

Only the middle and upper nobility can have beautiful nouns such as flowers, grains, and metals as surnames.

Although there are no written rules for surnames, ordinary people who dare to use nice words as surnames will be punished by the lord. Even some minor nobles who used beautiful words as surnames were attacked by major nobles and even annihilated.

Earl Bluestone seemed to be a straightforward person and directly asked, "A seventeen-year-old elite Earth Knight, quite talented. You are the second son of Earl Lee William, so did you earn the title of Viscount of Black Horse Island through battlefield achievements?"

"Yes."

"When did you go to the battlefield?"

"This year."

"This year?" Earl Bluestone was surprised.

Lee William said lightly, "Herbert, you should know that the Sapphire Duchy encountered a rebellion, and Liszt made military achievements in the Iron Hoof Island battle, being promoted from Baron to Viscount of Black Horse Island."

"I heard about the Iron Hoof Island battle. Being promoted to Viscount in one battle, it seems your son made significant achievements in the battle."

"He has a mid-level earth attribute magical beast as a pet, captured castles multiple times in battles, and performed excellently in the final decisive battle, gaining the appreciation of Prince Anthony."

"Lee William, will he inherit your title?" Herbert suddenly asked.

Liszt answered himself, "Earl Bluestone, my brother Levis is the heir, and he is also an elite Earth Knight."

"Very enviable, the family has so many excellent descendants."

After a few polite words, Herbert and Lee William went into the cabin, and Liszt stayed on the deck. He still needed to train the eight little ones and Hiddleston. As they were about to go to the battlefield, he was still not confident about the obedience and discipline of the eight little ones, as they were all immature young beasts.

Not even a year old, they still only know the magic of rock spikes.

Just as Captain Leiden said.

The Coral Island fleet had just arrived at the coastline, without experiencing a single battle, and already possessed a small port, along with a city and castle not much larger than a small town.

The lord of this territory, upon hearing of the invasion, fled early, abandoning his lands.

Thus, the knights of the Coral Island Knights and the Greenstone Knights landed at the port. Using this place as a springboard, they launched an invasion into the Sardine Bay area. Speed was of the essence, and without much rest or preparation, the Earth Knights of the knight orders quickly entered a state of war.

Liszt also had no time to lament the suddenness of the war. He rode his chocobo, following the Earl, plundering towns and cities, besieging castles, and engaging in battles with the resisting knight orders.

There was not much strategy, just primitive and brutal charges, charges, and more charges. In previous campaigns, the Coral Island Knights rarely attacked named castles because they were easy to defend but hard to attack. But this time, with Hiddleston and Lu pushing forward.

In just a day and a half, the Coral Island Knights, now separated from the Greenstone Knights, advanced 300 kilometers inland, attacking a named castle by the river, Riverbend Castle.

"Hiddleston, prepare for the siege!"

"Eight little ones, follow Hiddleston!"

"On my command, rock spikes!"

The Earl oversaw the battlefield, while Liszt personally commanded the Blizzard Beasts to dismantle Riverbend Castle. Other knights from the knight orders shot arrows to suppress the castle's counterattacks.

Moments later.

One of Riverbend Castle's walls collapsed with a loud crash. Viscount Jonas led the charge into the breach. Then all the knights swarmed into Riverbend Castle, and in less than ten minutes, the castle belonging to the Viscount fell under the powerful attack of the Coral Island Knights.

The Viscount lord died on the spot.

"Capture all Earth Knights and inventory the castle's supplies," Lee William commanded without lifting a finger, strolling throughout the process, now directing the cleanup. "Captain Mickey, send out the rats to contact nearby mercenary groups for trade. Also, keep a close eye on the knight orders of the surrounding territories, always ready for battle."

"Yes, my lord!"

Unlike previous captives used for ransom, this time the Duke allowed followers to recruit the captives themselves. So, in this war, any Earth Knight who was not crippled was a target for recruitment.

The Earl was only interested in elite Earth Knights, particularly those who were young, of low rank, or had no title at all. It was not yet Liszt's turn to pick elite Earth Knights first, so his target was young Earth Knights, preferably single ones.

Such Earth Knights, once recruited to his territory and married off, would quickly become loyal.

Lee William looked at the bound Earth Knights.

He slowly spoke, "You are now my captives, your lives are in my hands. Now, I give you a choice. First, write to your families and lords, pay a ransom that satisfies me, and you can go free. Second, if you cannot pay enough ransom, then pledge your loyalty to me and my followers!"

More than forty Earth Knights, not crippled, looked at each other, covered in dust. Captivity and loyalty were very common in continental wars, but the Sapphire Duchy had never accepted the loyalty of captives before, and it was unclear why they changed this time.

Twenty-one knights chose to pay the ransom.

The remaining twenty-six knights chose to pledge their loyalty.

First, the Earl made his selection, picking only three young elite Earth Knights. Then the three Viscounts took turns choosing. Liszt, with the highest military merit, was first and could pick one. He looked at the remaining Earth Knights, among whom only two were elite, one old and one middle-aged.

Without a doubt, he chose the middle-aged elite Earth Knight.

"Tell me your name," Liszt said, clad in shining mithril armor, exuding authority. Despite his youth, these knights had seen clearly in battle that he was surrounded by powerful magical beasts.

Thus.

The middle-aged elite Earth Knight even had a hint of excitement in his eyes, "My lord, my name is Ved Drywood, thirty-seven years old, promoted to elite Earth Knight eight years ago, with no title."